Kumari Shreya
Directed by Daniel Peddle, Showtime’s ‘Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later’ is a highly awaited sequel to ‘The Aggressives.’ The latter is a 2005 documentary that followed various masculine-presenting people of color who were assigned the female gender at birth. The recent movie sheds light on four specific individuals from the original film and what they have been up to since their on-screen debut. One of them is Chin Tsui, whose life has certainly been full of various forms of struggle. His story, which is told over two movies, has made him someone many have come to care for.
Chin Tsui Was Detained by ICE
One of the four leading figures of ‘Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later,’ Chin Tsui’s life has certainly not been an easy one. Having been born in Hong Kong, China, Chin and his family moved to the US when he was nine years old. However, it was not long before Chin’s mother left her family behind, which caused him and his sister, Nancy Benabe, much hurt. In the documentary, Chin also shared how he felt like his grandmother might have disliked the fact that he did not adhere to conventional female activities.
Initially, Chin had identified as a lesbian woman, and when he was caught with a girl in his home, his grandmother did not accept him fully and kicked him out of their home. For quite some time, Chin had to live on the streets, during which time he was apparently once visited by his mother. Later, Chin realized that his mother had allegedly stolen his wallet, which had included crucial documents, including his green card and proof of identity. When he tried to report the issue, he was told that he had been naturalized as a citizen, which he knew was not true.
The theft and his inability to regain his documents meant that Chin was left in a state of danger. Apparently, he has been trafficked multiple times over the years but has often kept quiet about it due to threats against his father, Eddie Tsui, and his sister. In an attempt to escape his tormentors, Chin fled to Georgia in 2016, where he started working at a restaurant. He had started using a forged identity card, and it seemed like things had turned around.
However, he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2016. The officers claimed that there was a chance that he could be deported due to charges against him from 1994. When the documentary caught up with him in 2018, Chin was being held in solitary confinement at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. However, immigration lawyer Earnest Bailey, who had taken up Chin’s case, felt like the treatment that Chin had faced was likely due to his identity as a trans man.
For about 19 months, Chin had been confined to solitary confinement, apparently due to his identity as a transgender individual. When he was released from the same, he was placed in the women’s section and had been allegedly denied medical attention. One of the biggest reasons behind his exit was the fact that his family and supporters had protested vehemently to have him released and be treated fairly. It was highlighted that the charges against him were related to trafficking incidents, for which he should not be held liable and should not have been detained.
Chin Tsui is Now Free and Working Hard
In March 2020, Chin Tsui was finally released from ICE custody. His convictions from the 1990s were forgiven by the actions of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. He traveled back to New York and was reunited with his family, as well as those who worked hard to make sure that he was released. He was also able to get some of his legal documents and was looking forward to what life had in store for him next.
However, getting back on his feet was not an easy task for Chin. Due to documentation issues as well as his past, it was not easy for Chin to find a steady job. He had to live with his sister, Nancy Benabe, and his brother-in-law. For months, he had still not received his green card back, which meant that he was not able to get a job. He admitted that being a trans person in a detention center had been hard. His main focus remained on being there for his father, Eddie Tsui, and he hoped that his issues would be resolved soon.
Thankfully, things have taken a turn for the better for Chin. When he was seen again in the documentary, the year was 2022, he was back to work. As of writing, he is working as a chef and seems to be taking steps towards a positive path. The documentary’s star often shares pictures of his food on social media and seems happy about the progress that he has made. He also has the support of his father and sister, along with his friends, who are always happy to be there for him. More recently, he has taken to promoting the Showtime documentary and seems content to share more of his story with the world.
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